effect of educational intervention based on continuous care model on self-monitoring of blood glucose in type 2 diabetics

Background and Aim: Appropriate control of blood sugar delays the onset and progression of diabetes mellitus [DM] complications. Nurses have a decisive role in the education of self-care behaviors to diabetic patients, including self-monitoring of blood glucose. The current study aimed at assessing the effect of educational intervention based on continuous care model on self-monitoring of blood glucose is type 2 diabetics

Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial study was conducted on 86 patients with type II DM referring to the Arian Diabetes Clinic of Torbat-e-heydaryyeh in 2015. The participants were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. Educational interventions based on continuous care model that has four basic steps: orientation, sensitization, control, and evaluation, was done on the intervention group for 3 months during 6 sessions. A reasearcher-designed questionnaire was completed before the intervention and two weeks after the last training session and the average scores of selfmonitoring of blood glucose in both groups were evaluated. Finally, the obtained data was fed into SPSS software [V: 16] and analyzed using descriptive and analytic statistical tests including Chi-square, paired T, independent t-tests P<0.05 was taken as the significant level

Results: Out of the total participants 59.3 percent were females; and their mean age was 48.6+/-8.4 years

Results showed significant difference between the two groups in terms of self-monitoring of blood glucose before and after the educational intervention based on continuous care model [P<0.001]. It was found that mean and standard deviation of self-monitoring blood glucose in the intervention group before and after the intervention were 11.51+/-3.02 and 12.13+/-2.96, and 18.13+/-3.93 and 13.25+/-3.74; respectively

Conclusion: The results showed that educational intervention based on continuous care model is effective on self-care behaviors of diabetic patients, especially their self-monitoring of blood glucose, therefore, applying it, is recommended

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of self-transcendence scale: adolescent version

Background: Given the greater tendency during adolescence toward risk-taking, identifying and measuring the factors affecting the adolescents' health is highly important to ensure the efficacy of health promoting interventions. One of these factors is self-transcendence. The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric features of the Self-Transcendence Scale [adolescents' version] in students in Tehran, the capital city of Iran

Methods: This research was conducted in 2015. For this purpose, 1210 high school students were selected through the multistage cluster sampling method. After the backward-forward translation, the psychometric properties of the scale were examined through the assessment of the [face and construct] validity and reliability [internal consistency and stability] of the scale. The construct validity was assessed using two methods, factor analysis, and convergence of the scale with the Hopefulness Scale for Adolescents

Results: The result of face validity was minor modifications in some words. The exploratory factor analysis resulted in the extraction of two dimensions, with explaining 52.79% of the variance collectively. In determining the convergent validity, the correlation between hopefulness score and self-transcendence score was r=0.47 [P<0.001]. The internal consistency of the scale was determined using Cronbach's alpha of 0.82 for the whole scale and 0.75 and 0.70 for each of the sub-scales. The stability reliability was found to have an ICC of 0.86 and a confidence interval of 95%

Conclusion: The Persian version of the Adolescents' Self-Transcendence Scale showed an acceptable validity and reliability and can be used in the assessment of self-transcendence in Iranian adolescents

[Effects of oral and dental health education program on knowledge, attitude and short-time practice of pregnant women [Mashhad-Iran]]

Physiological changes during pregnancy make pregnant mothers highly prone to various periodontal diseases. These mothers may prevent the problems to a large extent just by adhering to principles of oral and dental health. The present study was aimed at evaluating the effects of an oral and dental health education program on the knowledge, attitude and performance of pregnant women. In this field trial study, 142 pregnant woman receiving care from Khaje Rabi Regional Health Center in the city of Mashhad were chosen by random clustering sampling and randomly allocated into test and control groups. The test group had two educational sessions of 1 hour long per weeks during three weeks, focusing on generalities of oral and dental health and particularly on oral and dental health during pregnancy. Control group received no education. At the beginning, two questionnaires were completed for demographic data of the participants. Three forms were completed by all participants measuring knowledge, attitude and practice before, immediately after and two months after the education program by both groups. Analysis of data was done by SPSS software by frequency, descriptive, student t-test and paired t-test. The two groups had no significant statistical difference in terms of knowledge, attitude and practice before the education program. Immediately after the education program the score of knowledge [13.8 +/- 2.53 vs 8.26 +/- 3.20, P<0.0001], attitude [40.27 +/- 5.31vs 36.30 +/- 4.59, P<0.0001] and practice [22.72 +/- 2.54 vs 18.60 +/- 2.60, P<0.0001] was significantly higher in test group. Also two months after education the score of knowledge [11.48 +/- 2.59 vs 7.92 +/- 2.61, P<0.0001], attitude [37.90 +/- 5.51vs 35.89 +/- 4.72, P=0.017] and practice [20.96 +/- 2.31 vs 19.52 +/- 3.59, P=0.005] was significantly higher in test group. Results of the present study indicated that education programs were effective in promoting knowledge, making positive attitudes, and promoting practice of pregnant woman in terms of oral and dental health